ROMANO POWERS WAVERLY IN 17-1 WIN OVER NEWFIELD

By: Tim Birney | Waverly Athletics | May 6, 2022

NEWFIELD — Senior Bella Romano belted three inside-the-park home runs, and freshman Brinn Cooney recorded a victory in her pitching debut in Waverly’s 17-1 win over Newfield here Friday afternoon in IAC softball action.

The Lady Wolverines took immediate control of the game with three runs in the top of the first inning.

Sophomore Natalie Lauper led off tine game with a single, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by senior Lourden Benjamin, who later scored on a passed ball.

Romano, who reached on an error, scored on an error to give Waverly a 3-0 lead.

In the third inning, junior Michaela Lauper singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Benjamin, and scored on Romano’s first home run to make it 5-0.

The Lady Wolverines added two more runs in the fourth inning on an RBI triple by sophomore Olivia Robinson, and an RBI groundout off the bat of sophomore Kailey Purvis to make it 7-0.

Romano led off the fifth with her second inside-the-park round-tripper to make it 8-1.

Waverly put the game away with five runs in the sixth inning in a rally that featured an RBI single by Natalie Lauper, and a two-run home run by Romano to make it 13-1.

The Lady Wolverines tacked on four more runs in the seventh inning in a rally highlighted by a lead-off triple by sophomore Peyton Shaw, an RBI single by Benjamin, and an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Romano.

Romano had three hits, four runs scored, and six RBI, and Michaela Lauper stroked three singles, scored two runs, and drove in one run to pace Waverly’s 14-hit attack, while Benjamin singled twice, scored one run, and knocked in two runs, and Shaw tripled and singled, and scored one run.

Senior Aubrey Ennis singled twice in the win, while Robinson tripled, scored three runs, and drove in two runs, Natalie Lauper singled and scored two runs, sophomore Lea VanAllen scored two runs, Purvis scored one run and drove in one run, and junior ALyvia Daddona crossed the plate once.

Cooney earned the win, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out eight and walking none in five innings. Robinson closed out the game, allowing one hit and striking out three in two innings of scoreless relief.

Waverly, now 6-7, returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Odessa-Montour.